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husbands, and their children: your mother was a Cethite, and your father
an Amorrhite.

16:46. And thy elder sister is Samaria, she and her daughters that dwell
at thy left hand: and thy younger sister that dwelleth at thy right hand
is Sodom, and her daughters.

16:47. But neither hast thou walked in their ways, nor hast thou done a
little less than they according to their wickednesses: thou hast done
almost more wicked things than they in all thy ways.

16:48. As I live, saith the Lord God, thy sister Sodom herself, and her
daughters, have not done as thou hast done, and thy daughters.

16:49. Behold this was the iniquity of Sodom thy sister, pride, fulness
of bread, and abundance, and the idleness of her, and of her daughters:
and they did not put forth their hand to the needy, and the poor.

This was the iniquity of Sodom, etc... That is, these were the steps by
which the Sodomites came to fall into those abominations for which they
were destroyed. For pride, gluttony, and idleness are the highroad to
all kinds of lust; especially when they are accompanied with a neglect
of the works of mercy.

16:50. And they were lifted up, and committed abominations before me:
and I took them away as thou hast seen.

16:51. And Samaria committed not half thy sins: but thou hast surpassed
them with thy crimes, and hast justified thy sisters by all thy
abominations which thou hast done.

16:52. Therefore do thou also bear thy confusion, thou that hast
surpassed thy sisters with thy sins, doing more wickedly than they: for
they are justified above thee, therefore be thou also confounded, and
bear thy shame, thou that hast justified thy sisters.

16:53. And I will bring back and restore them by bringing back Sodom,
with her daughters, and by bringing back Samaria, and her daughters: and
I will bring those that return of thee in the midst of them.

I will bring back, etc... This relates to the conversion of the Gentiles
out of all nations, and of many of the Jews, to the church of Christ.

16:54. That thou mayest bear thy shame, and mayest be confounded in all
that thou hast done, comforting them.

16:55. And thy sister Sodom and her daughters shall return to their
ancient state: and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their
ancient state: and thou and thy daughters shall return to your ancient
state.

Ancient state... That is, to their former state of liberty, and their
ancient possessions. In the spiritual se